China’s Foreign Ministry has condemned the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports as “dangerous and irresponsible,” warning against any effort to obstruct Chinese vessels. On Monday, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun said in a statement, “We have trade and energy agreements with Iran; we expect others not to interfere in our affairs. The Strait of Hormuz is open to us.” His warning came as at least four Iran-linked ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday after the Trump administration declared the start of its blockade. 

Meanwhile, delegates from the U.S. and Iran could soon return to Pakistan for another round of peace talks, after negotiations in Islamabad last weekend failed to reach a long-term deal to end the U.S.-Israeli assault on Iran. Reuters and the Associated Press report a date has not yet been decided, though negotiations could resume as early as the end of this week. This comes as The New York Times reports the U.S. and Iran have traded proposals for a suspension of Iranian nuclear activities, with Iran proposing a five-year suspension, after the U.S. sought a 20-year moratorium. We’ll have more on negotiations between the U.S. and Iran after headlines.